


Inhale, now exhale, feel your blood thrumming in your veins and rejoice in the fact that despite everything that's happened, you're still alive

by TheKidsFromYesterday



Series: Ectober 2020 [10]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Ectober (Danny Phantom), Gen, Graphic Description of Corpses, Implied/Referenced Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:07:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27316000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheKidsFromYesterday/pseuds/TheKidsFromYesterday
Summary: One day we all have to cross the river. But only when we're ready.
Series: Ectober 2020 [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1952503
Comments: 8
Kudos: 55





	Inhale, now exhale, feel your blood thrumming in your veins and rejoice in the fact that despite everything that's happened, you're still alive

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Ectober, everyone! Prepare your eardrums for annoying jingles assaulting us all at every turn for the next two months. Good luck sleeping after reading this. ;)

Danny had been aimlessly floating through the Ghost Zone when Youngblood flew past him carrying a large box.

"Whoa! Where's the fire?" Danny said with a grin. 

"Oh, right. You're new." Youngblood said. "It's hard to explain, but I can show you if you want." 

Danny followed, more than a little curious. Youngblood was the first Ghost he had seen in nearly a week, and to be honest, he was getting worried. He highly doubted they had all decided to form a truce to plan something truly evil, as none of them could be in the same room for more than ten minutes without firing ectoblasts at each other. 

Youngblood led him to the heart of the Ghost Zone, or at least, what felt like it. With the endless swirls of green spreading out in every direction, knowing your exact location was rather difficult at the best of times. 

They neared the large dark building floating just ahead, and Danny could hear a cacophony of voices coming from it. 

He pushed open the double doors for Youngblood and blinked in surprise. So this was where everyone had been. He spotted Technus fiddling with some kind of tablet, and he could hear Skulker boasting about some successful hunt to the left of the room. 

The room looked to be made out of pure obsidian, with large red windows that showed waterfalls, beaches, bustling cities, and cottages in forests. There were tables filled with food and drinks, and soft piano music drifting from somewhere up above. It was peaceful. Which had Danny's hackles raising. The room wasn't filled with tension, instead it was relaxed and an almost comforting presence could be felt from somewhere further in. It had to be a trap. 

"Erm, Youngblood? What is all this?" 

"It's the Samhain Selection." the boy threw over his shoulder as he rummaged through his box. 

"The _what_?" 

"It's when all of the Ghost Zone calls a week long truce to help each other with their Chains." With the way he said it, Danny could hear the capital C. 

"What are Chains?" 

"You're really better off asking an older spirit. This is only my tenth time here, and I'm still learning." Youngblood said as he carefully placed candles on the tables and windowsills nearby. 

Danny took the dismissal and left Youngblood to his candles. Searching for a familiar face, he was relieved and mildly confused to see Clockwork floating in a corner with a goblet in his hand. 

"Clockwork! I'm so glad to see you. Can you explain all of this to me?" 

"Of course, Daniel." Clockwork said. He gestured toward the room. "Twice a year, on Samhain and the Winter Solstice, the inhabitants of the Ghost Zone strive to Unchain themselves from the mortal world, so that they may pass on." 

"Pass on? As in, to the other side?" 

"That is correct. Tomorrow is Samhain, and any spirit that has completed their tasks will have the opportunity to leave." 

"And the Chains?" 

"They vary from person to person. A spirit could be Chained to the mortal realm by an unfulfilled wish, rage, love, refusal to accept their own demise." Clockwork explained. 

"Are you going to pass on?" Danny asked worriedly. 

"No. I'm happy to tell you why, but only if you show up tomorrow so my colleague and I can tell the story together. He never tires of telling it." Clockwork said with a fond expression. "You may as well leave now. The rest of the night will just be spirits going around the room trying to figure out what Chains them here if they aren't already aware, or going to the mortal realm to attempt to Unchain themselves." 

"See you tomorrow then." Danny said, giving the room one last glance before heading back home. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

He could have been sleeping, safe in the knowledge that there would be no ghosts attacking the city. But as soon as his parents went to bed, Danny was sneaking downstairs and going through the portal. 

He found the building, which looked more like a temple now that he was paying attention, and was surprised to see Clockwork waiting just by the doors. 

"I wanted to warn you." he began as soon as Danny was in hearing distance. "Once a spirit crosses the threshold of this building on Samhain or the Winter Solstice, the manner of their death will be on display for all to see." 

"Try not to stare, got it." Danny said, reaching for the door handles. 

Clockwork slid his staff through the handles and gave Danny a grave look. "That includes you, Daniel." 

Danny frowned, then blinked, then looked at the doors. Once he went in, everyone would know how he had died. Shite. What if Vlad was there? 

"He is not. He came once and was turned away, and now he stays away out of spite." Clockwork said. 

"How did you-you know what? Never mind." Danny took a deep breath. "I'm going in." 

Clockwork pulled his staff free and stepped forward to open the doors. 

"Happy Samhain, Daniel." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

No one was staring at him, which gave him some measure of relief. Which he desperately needed considering how anxious he was to have bolts of electricity dancing and sparking across his skin. 

Danny tried not to wince as he felt the crackling power heading towards his chest. 

He ate some little square cakes while he waited for-whatever was supposed to happen. Danny scanned the room for anyone he knew, which was proving to be more trouble than he thought. 

Most of the ghosts looked human, their skin tones ranging from cream to wet earth, save for the few that must have frozen to death, their skin tinged blue and coated with frost. They shivered occasionally and rubbed their arms. 

There was a group of ghosts in one corner with the same patterns carved into their skin. Danny swallowed down bile as he recognised the marks as being a sign of a serial killer that had murdered over seventy people who were waiting at train stations late at night. 

It took all of his willpower to not fall into a dead faint when Skulker stomped past. From the back, he looked like a healthy human man, tall, muscular. But when he turned Danny could see how something with sharp claws and teeth had ripped his chest open and clawed out his innards, leaving them to dangle down to his knees. 

"You look a little green, dipstick." 

Danny huffed and turned to snap back at her, only to freeze when he saw how Ember had died. 

Her skin was blackened in some places and an angry red in others. Her eyes had completely melted and were dripping down her cheeks. She smiled at him as flames licked her skin. 

"I look a fright, don't I? So do you." Ember said, taking a sip of something that smelled like cinnamon and oranges. 

"It's a lot to take in." Danny mumbled. "I didn't know you burned to death." 

"I can't believe you didn't figure it out yourself. It's right in the name!" she exclaimed. 

"So, are you, erm, leaving?" 

"Probably not. He'll just tell me the same thing he does every year." Ember sighed. "Your desire to be a star is stronger than your desire to be at peace." she said in a raspy voice. "So you're stuck with me for another year, babypop!" 

Danny chuckled weakly and took a sip of punch. At least, he thought it was punch. It tasted like a chocolate milkshake. 

He spoke with a few more ghosts over the next few hours, the Box Ghost, whose body had been crushed after a shelf of packages had fallen on him, Sidney, who had to keep one hand free to hold up his head and lolling neck which made loud snapping noises now and then, Technus, who had also been electrocuted and seemed to feel sorry for Danny. 

Then a bell chimed and the castle vanished, leaving Danny staring up at a star filled sky. The rest of the ghosts were heading down a gravel path, so he followed, not wanting to get lost in the thick fog. The path led to a wide river with black waters and choppy waves. As Danny was considering if breaking the spellbound silence was worth it to ask what happened next, a cheer rose up. 

A hooded figure was rowing toward the bank, his movements slow and precise. After he docked, he stepped out of the boat and tilted his head. Danny shivered as he felt the man's gaze pass over him. 

"Who among you wishes to cross the river?" he asked. Ember really hadn't done his voice justice. It was like skeletal fingers brushing over dried leaves. 

A few ghosts approached him. 

Danny jumped when a hand touched his shoulder. "You have nothing to fear." Clockwork said. "He is the ferryman, simply another trapped soul doing his work until the end of all life, as am I." 

"You said you would tell why why you wouldn't pass on tonight." 

"And I will. But first, let us watch the proceedings." 

A ghost with a gaping hole in the side of his head had approached the ferryman. "My killer has been driven mad with guilt and has confessed to my murder, as well as other crimes. I have no reason to linger here." he said firmly. 

"Then linger not." the ferryman said, gesturing for the man to sit in the boat. 

"What if it fills up?" Danny whispered, glancing between the boat and the huge crowd of ghosts. 

"It won't. I doubt it even can." 

A few more ghosts were given leave to sit in the boat when an old woman walked up to the ferryman. 

"Let me cross over." 

"Not yet, Francis." he said calmly. "Not yet." 

"When then?" she seethed, throwing her arms up in frustration. 

The ferryman sighed and stretched out a hand draped in a long sleeve to touch her collarbone. A brilliant string of light shot through her, leading back the way they had come. 

"There is someone still living that you cannot leave without." 

"Whom?" she asked, confusion clear on her face. 

"I suppose the fog of death has stolen their face from you. Their time will come within the next ten years, unless they stop smoking. You may pass on then, and only then, as I promised you when you died." 

"He tells her that every year, and every year she forgets." Clockwork said sadly. "That happens, though. If you stay dead long enough and don't pass on, your memories fade." 

Danny resolved to Unchain himself as soon as possible whenever he finally died all the way. 

The crowd thinned quickly, with only twenty-seven ghosts having Unchained themselves. All that remained was Danny and Clockwork. 

"It's good to see you, Charon." Clockwork said warmly. 

"Hmm. I'd say the same but I had a hand in trapping you. I don't know how you stand it." Charon said, shaking his head. "Who's this?" 

"Daniel Fenton." Clockwork said with a smirk. 

Charon stilled, then fished a scroll out of the folds of his cloak. "Fenton, Fenton." he mumbled. "Ha! I knew it." 

Charon stepped forward and pointed a finger at Danny's chest. "You gave me so much trouble! We've been going mental trying to find out where you went. You were slated to die, as the scroll says, but Thanatos wasn't scheduled to collect your soul." Charon blew out a harsh breath. "At least I can tell Hades the boy didn't make a mistake, and neither did I." 

Clockwork gave Danny a smug look. "I feel your pain, Charon. He doesn't make my job any easier, that's for certain." 

"Hmph. I suppose you're here for a reason?" Charon asked. "It's not your time, in case you were curious. You're one of those rare people who gets to die and come back, so you're listed twice." Charon told Danny. 

"Daniel wanted to know why I wouldn't pass on." 

"Well, to make a long story painfully short, the god of time is currently chopped up in the Underworld. Someone has to be in charge of things, or the universe will implode. So, a group of gods got together and chose the soul of someone very unlikely to get bored with the power of time and here we are." Charon said, flicking hand to Clockwork. 

"I took the job willingly, and cannot move on until the end of time." Clockwork said. "It was quite frightening when Hermes suddenly appeared while I was on my deathbed and offered me a job that would extend beyond death." 

Charon snorted. " _Hermes_ scares you. Hermes, out of all the gods." he said in disbelief. 

Danny snickered as the two of them continued to bicker like an old married couple. Which, he supposed, they were, in a sense that it was highly unlikely either of them could have that kind of connection with anyone else. The two of them were bound to their duties until the end of time. 

"Let us step aside, Daniel, we have a new arrival." Clockwork said suddenly. 

Danny moved back a bit and winced at the child behind him. She was little girl with a caved in skull and blood dripping down her face. 

"Can you tell me where my mummy is? Only, I can't see very well." she slurred as she stumbled toward the ferryman, who scooped her up and placed her on a seat. 

"Of course I can. I think I know just where she is. But while you wait for her, wouldn't you like to eat some sweets?" 

"Oh yes! Do you have faerie cakes? They're my favourite." 

"My dear girl, where we're going, you can have all the faerie cakes you want. For every meal and snack in between, if you so desire." 

He pushed off then, and Danny could hear the girl's excited chattering long after the boat vanished into the fog. 

"Let's get you home, Daniel. The doors will be closing soon, and it wouldn't do to be trapped here." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

Clockwork brought him straight to his bedroom. Danny changed back, relieved that his Phantom form had returned to normal. 

"That was-something else." he said. "It was nice to see all so many of them get to move on. Even if I did nearly sick up." 

Clockwork laughed quietly. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. Until we meet again, Daniel." 

Danny collapsed onto his bed, feeling the weight of the night crushing him. 

It wasn't his time to cross the river yet, but when that day came, he hoped he could go with as much enthusiasm as that little girl had, rather than wandering lost and confused like Francis.

**Author's Note:**

> All right, time for a serious conversation. It shouldn't take a plague like COVID-19 for people to let other people know they care. And it shouldn't take getting COVID for people to stop listening to FOX news and admit that it's a real disease. But, in some cases, it does. So, all I can say is, tell your loved ones that you love them, because there is another year or two of this shite to deal with. Try not to die, try not to kill anyone, WEAR A FUCKING MASK!!!!!, and don't be stupid. See you next Ectober if we're all still alive.


End file.
